Rifle accuracy for hunters, sport shooters, and Soldiers can generally be improved by stabilizing the weapon. Stabilization is often achieved through use of environmental support, or devices such as a sling, bipod, or shooting sticks. However, slings do not transfer the weight of the weapon off the arms, and bipods and shooting sticks cannot provide stability while a shooter is moving. Carrying weapons for extended periods of time can fatigue the arms, fatigue is a leading cause in the reduction in accuracy. Holding a steady aiming position for just a few minutes while standing can also cause fatigue and tremors in the shooter's arms, quickly reducing accuracy.
The present invention, “Third Arm Weapons Interface”, we have developed a novel wearable, passive, mechanical appendage designed to increase accuracy and reduce arm fatigue when using rifles or tools by transferring the weight of the weapon and thus stabilizing and counterbalancing the weight. The Third Arm Weapons Interface may be connected to the front or back of a tactical vest. The interface can be used with the MOLLE webbing system or the PALS system, or to an insert that fits into the armor plate pocket. The interface connects to the Picatinny rail modular system on the firearm, allowing it to work with various weapons or implements which utilize the Picatinny rail system. Our invention allows for a complete stabilization of a weapon or tool by redistributing the weight onto the torso of the user or operator using a unique spring element. Our invention allows the user to carry and handle a wider variety of weapons and tools, as well as one-handed operation of a weapon for unconventional aiming postures. Additionally, our invention provides a framework and pathway to redistribute recoil forces across other parts of the operator's body, not just the shoulder pocket. Our invention, at least in one embodiment, is manufactured primarily using high-strength, lightweight carbon-fiber composite, and in this configuration weighs less than four pounds.
Vest-mounted devices to steady the motion of a camera for cinematography have existed for decades. These devices typically consist of a vest with a rigid element, and an arm with multiple joints which connects to the front of the vest. The arm segments typically consist of a simple 4-bar mechanism with a spring linkage. These types of devices are designed only to work with a proprietary vest, typically have large, heavy spring elements, and have a simple mounting rod on the end of the arm, to connect to camera equipment. These devices have limited degrees of freedom, with additional equipment required to provide the necessary degrees of freedom to operate the camera on the end of the arm. The lengths of the arm segments of these devices cannot be adjusted to fit different users or change the range of motion. Several devices attach camera equipment to a vest via rigid members or cables that go over the shoulder or head of the wearer. While at first blush these devices may appear in some way similar to the present invention it should be noted that they could not be used in the same way and to the same effect as the present invention described and claimed herein. The aforementioned devices cannot provide the necessary range of motion required for conventional weapon use (namely, the prone position), and would inappropriately attach to different rifles in awkward or unusable ways. Furthermore, the cable-suspended approach provides no additional load pathway for mitigating recoil forces the way the present invention does.
The present invention interface features a vest attachment mechanisms that allow it to be used with nearly any tactical or plate carrier vest as in service by the United States military. The hinge assembly and arm segments of the interface are made of lightweight composite materials and are designed to be low-profile, hugging the operator's body when folded in. The interface employs lightweight polymer spring elements to help maintain this low profile. The interface provides all the necessary degrees of freedom for normal operation of a conventional weapon while allowing shooting from the prone position. While there have been passive devices for shooting stabilization they are typically designed to either lock one degree of freedom between the weapon and the wearer, or provide a load pathway from the weapon to the ground or another structure. Our invention is advantageous over these devices as it does not lock or restrict weapon motion, and does not need to be steadied on the ground or another structure, allowing it to be used on the move.
Our invention also provides a new direction for Soldier weapon design. By providing an additional “appendage” to hold the rifle and distribute recoil forces, future weapons can be skeletonized to the minimal components needed for core functionality (eliminating butt stocks, fore grips, and mechanical sights, e.g.). This has the benefit of substantially reducing the weight of the notional Third Arm-weapon system.